The Delusional Takeover
Lastation Arc 2: Round Heaven
A world of grim catastrophe laid waste before her eyes. The brown dust of the city swept across the earth. Buildings laid ruined, debris scattered across the ground. Glowing blue cracks littered the sky, like a torn purple blanket that covered the atmosphere.
"What… What is this…?"
Noire's mouth was left agape from the horrid sight. Her nation, the city she swore to protect, broken.
"Hail to our Goddess!"
"HAIL!"
A coordinated cheer came from below her. The world may be broken, but her people lived on. Thousands of citizens bowed in deep respect to her, their foreheads kissing the floor.
"Huh…?"
Like a child being thrust into a new world, she was lost. Her people showed such unwavering faith to her despite the ruined condition the nation was in. However, she would be lying if she said was not touched by their loyalty.
"People of Lastation… Do you hail to your Goddess…?" Noire asked softly.
"Hail to our Goddess!"
"HAIL!"
The cheer repeated, which gave her the answer she needed. They were her people, and they gave their fullest respect. The Goddess's lips curled upwards in glee. Such unfounded devotion…!
But something was different. Not the ruined world, but something about her perspective. Why did everything look so small? Noire looked around once more, her eyes widening to examine everything clearly. Her nation, and its structures and inhabitants; everything was so small, so tiny, so insignificant.
"Hail to our Goddess!"
"HAIL!"
An infinite number of questions raced through her mind, yet none of them made pass the abyss of thought. Noire tried to rub the side of her head as she pondered about the situation, only for her hands to feel a metal horn there. Then it came to her. She was wearing a helmet of sorts that came with a visor. No wonder everyone had a red tint to them.
"Why is everything… so small?" The goddess asked again, this time a little louder.
"Hail to our Goddess!"
"HAIL!"
The people bowed once more in deep respect with their heads nudging against the ground. They wanted to bow even lower.
"Answer my question! Why are all of you so small!?" Noire grunted in annoyance. She appreciated their loyalty, but they could at least not be blinded by it.
"Hail to Dark Black!"
"D-Dark Black…?"
"HAIL!"
What was Dark Black? That made no sense. Black was the darkest possible color, there was nothing that could surpass that!
"Hail to Dark Black!"
"Are... Are you all refering to me...?"
"HAIL!"
"I'm not Dark Black! I'm Lady Black... Heart..."
The connection linked up within her mind, causing a snowstorm to ravage across her back.
"Hail to Dark Black!"
"No… N-No this has to be a joke…"
Noire stepped back a little, her heel causing a tremor as she thread. Her mind was polluted with disbelief, like a water tank invaded by toxic concentrations.
"Hail!"
"S-Shut up! E-Everyone shut up!"
"Hail to Dark Black!"
Her plead for the cheers proved futile as her citizens only grew louder in volume.
"HAIL!"
"I SAID SHUT UP!"
She stomped her foot on the ground in a panic. A quake formed across the city, but the people continued to bow.
"Hail!"
"S-Shut... Up..."
"Hail to our goddess!"
"Why deny their loyalty?"
"Shut… Up…!"
"Hail to our goddess!"
"The people treat you like the goddess you always dreamed of being. A ruler above all else."
"No… Not like this… Not like this!"
Noire tug on her helmet's horns tightly in a futile attempt to remove it. The voices in her head, they echoed endlessly. She wanted it to stop. This was not how she wanted her future to be like.
"HAIL!"
"This is your fate, Noire. Accept your fate."
"This isn't my fate! This is madness! I will not be denied my future! This is not my future!"
Her visor lit up as powers surged through her helmet. The goddess screamed in pain, frantically trying to remove the prison atop her head. But it was useless.
"And yet, you still struggle. You say that you're being denied, but you are the one rejecting power. Do you not wish for power, to bring peace, to unite this world under a single banner?"
"…N-Not… N-Not like this…!"
"You cannot choose your fate, you can only accept it. So for the last time, I will ask you this, Lady Noire. Accept your fate!"
"NO…! N-AUGH-!"
Her throat quivered as it strained itself for Noire to let out the loudest cry she could muster. Her visor had lit up as bright as the sun, bringing unimaginable pain. Her vision faded momentarily, but once it returned, everything was different.
A world of grim catastrophe laid waste before her eyes. The brown dust of the city swept across the earth. Buildings laid ruined, debris scattered across the ground. Glowing blue cracks littered the sky, like a torn purple blanket that covered the atmosphere.
"What… What is this…?"
Noire's lips curled up into a sadistic smile. Her nation, the city she swore to protect, broken.
"Hail to our Goddess!"
"HAIL!"
A coordinated cheer came from below her. Thousands of ants bowed in deep respect to her, their foreheads kissing the floor. They were so small, pathetic even. Dark Black let out a chuckle. She was stronger than them, stronger than all of them combined. She was the strongest being in this entire dimension.
"People of Lastation, do you serve your Goddess?"
"Hail to our goddess!"
"HAIL!"
"Just what I thought."
Dark Black looked around her once more. The ruined city, the cracked sky, the ants by her feet, she remembers clearly. This was her doing. She caused such catastrophe.
The ants by her feet? They were obeyed her every will, out of fear for their own salvation. She could erase their very existence, thus they pledged their undying devotion for their survival.
"I... I am the queen..."
Noire ruled all of Gamindustri under her iron fist. She has all the power one could ever dream of. The size of a skyscraper, the devotion of countless servants, and the power of a goddess; she had it all.
No. She was beyond a goddess. Noire has transcended above such limitations. She was a Dark CPU, a being of composed of negative energy. The strongest energy.
"I... I have everything I could ever dream of."
Gamindustri changed forever when Dark Black engulfed the dimension under her darkness. And this was the result, a world where everything bent to her will. She remembers it like it was just yesterday, the day Dark Black first reigned supreme.
"Hail to Dark Black!"
"HAIL!"
"Humanity lays by my feet. I rule over them, with unwavering loyalty..."
"Hail to Dark Black!"
"Haha…"
"HAIL!"
"Hail to Dark Black!"
"HAIL!"
"Hahaha…!"
"Hail to Dark Black! Hail to Dark Black! Hail to Dark Black!"
"Hail to your queen! Hahaha! Bow! Bow every single one of you pathetic scum! Bow before your dark goddess!"
"HAIL!"
Noire This was her Round Heaven. A full circle where she has achieved everything one could dream of.
"I... Am Dark Black."
"Hail to Dark Black!"
"And I have begun a banquet of despair."
"HAIL!"
"But not all things last forever, Lady Noire."
"What…!? What do you mean…!?"
"One's reign will eventually end."
"What the hell is that thing!?"
"Run for your lives!"
"It's another monster!"
"I don't wanna die!"
Screams echoed across the city. Everyone pointed and shouted at the monster that invaded their home, all but fearfully running for their lives. The Goddess was confused, feeling like a child being thrust into an ongoing evacuation, having no idea as to why everyone was panicked.
"What is going on? Why is everyone running away!?"
From her view, nothing significant has changeed. She was still in the city. But everything seemed much more furnished. The buildings were no longer crumbled and destroyed; the sky no longer had a purple hue. The dimension brewed with life, but the people were crying in distress.
The ants that once pressed their heads against the ground in respect for their goddess were scattering away from her. They were no longer bowing down before her heels. They disrespected her by fleeing.
"Come back... Come back and bow! Why have you stopped!? Why have you-Agh!"
A barrage of missiles detonated across Dark Black's back, causing the giant goddess to yelp in pain as she thread forward.
"Who dares!?" The Dark CPU hissed venomously, turning to see the assailants. She readied a combat stance, raising her hands up and about to summon her sword, but instead of retaliating, Dark Black was stunned.
It was Lastation's own military force. Soldiers, Tanks, Helicopters all stood vigilant against their own goddess, aiming their weapons with their sights locked across her gigantic body.
"No... How dare you attack me... Do you not know who I am!?" The Dark Goddess screamed in fury, both in shock and disappointment. "I am your goddess! I am the very ruler of this nation! And you dare rebel!?"
"FIRE!"
The military launched another assault, firing blasts that ravaged the Dark Goddess's body. A massive smoke cloud lingered from the firepower against her, concealing the giant completely.
"…I… I will not be denied."
Dark Black's visor flashed brightly from within the smoke cloud, along with her blueish armor.
"Sink into despair."
A giant sword materialised along her arm, which slashed at the nearest troops destroying tanks and helicopters. But that did little to stop the military's assault against her. The blasts continued with missiles detonating across her entire body in another wave of firepower. Lastation was determined to destroy her.
But so was Noire.
Her sword began charging up with negative energy, the culmination of her entire being. A spiked, wild and uncontrolled purple aura flared from it as Dark Black began floating gently upwards.
She raised it behind her shoulder and began to spin in a circular motion which began to accelerate quickly. Soon her body was spinning fast, like a tornado that would sweep away everything in its wake.
"Accept your demise!"
With a loud battlecry, Dark Black suddenly halted to a stop, slicing across the air with her sword. The momentum from her continuous spinning created a massive shockwave that pushed everything back. It swept away the military forces, it swept away the nearby buildings, and it swept away even matter itself as cracks in the dimension form from the debris.
"Hahahahaha! Hope is just an illusion in the end!" Dark Black taunted, letting out a manic burst of laughter. In the end, she was still the strongest entity that existed in this dimension. She brought this city to its knees before; she would gladly do it again, and again, and again!
"Noire!"
The Dark Goddess turned to the voice that called out for her. The smile that lingered from her laughter faded the moment she saw who called out for her.
"Noire… Can you hear me!?"
"…No… Not you… too…"
Her younger sister, Uni, known as Black Sister in her transformed state, was flying towards her with her large sniper rifle pointed right at her visor. Tears were falling from her eyes, a clear disappointed look in her face as she floated in front of the titan's visor.
"Noire… Please, wake up!"
"Uni… No… I don't want to hurt you…" Dark Black muttered softly, stepping backwards in uneasiness. "Please…"
The sniper rifle began to charge up, glowing as green as Black Sister's own eyes. "Noire…! If you can hear me, wake up!"
"Get away from me…"
"Noire! Please!"
The barrel of Black Sister's sniper rifle began to glow. The gun was fully charged, and the younger sister showed no signs of pulling back.
"Don't make me do this…"
She may be a Dark Goddess, but even Dark Black was not as cruel as to harm her own sister. Her lips quivered in fear, in utmost despair. Now she has sunken into despair.
"…Do it."
"I'm sorry. This'll only sting for a moment."
A green light enveloped Dark Black's visor, but by then her eyes were already closed shut.
"You are fated to be the sole ruler of Gamindustri, but not all reigns will last forever. Eventually your memory will be lost in the sands of time with a dark history that would taint the legacy of your predecessors."
"You can trust nothing in this cruel, cruel world. Humanity is a deceptive species. They can never be trusted. They will betray you in due time."
"They… will betray me…"
"Heed my warning, Goddess Black Heart. The strings of fate lay just around the corner."
"Ack-! Ouch…!"
Noire rose from her bed in a jolt. A severe pain lingered in her upper right arm where she instinctively covered with her left hand. But instead of touching her own skin, she felt the back of someone else's hand.
"Heheh, Sorry Big Sis." Uni chuckled nervously with her other hand behind her head. "I had to pinch you to wake you up."
"…E-Eh… Oh… Oh! H-Hey!" Noire retracted her right arm away from Uni, and covered the spot she was pinched at. "You know I'm sensitive to pinches…"
"I had to. You weren't exactly sleeping peacefully." The younger sister explained solemnly. "I heard you stirring about in your sleep, saying stuff about denial and demise or something along those lines. Did you have a nightmare?"
"I… uhh… Y-Yeah… I think I had a nightmare…"
"What was it about?"
"I…" Noire tried her best to remember it, but unfortunately the dream faded, leaving only fragments of how she felt during it. "…think I was being attacked by… something… Ugh, can't remember…"
"Well, it's not good to remember nightmares, so I'll consider that a blessing in disguise." Uni cheerfully tugged on Noire's shoulder and pointed outside. "Come on, it's time to get ready for the cosplay convention! K-Sha's already in her costume. Let's go!"
"Right… I hope the metal detectors I ordered yesterday work…"
While the heart of the nation was the district where the Basilicom was stationed, little to no conventional events could be held there due to Noire's strict disturbance policy. She was a hard worker, and she hated distractions. Parties would undoubtedly be a nuisance to her, especially if they were to be held right outside her window.
Instead, they were held in the most popular district in Lastation; GearSteel. Thanks to support from the companies that set up headquarters there, conventions and fairs were held very frequently, basically becoming the go-to district for tourists and citizens alike.
"K-Sha, this is where you live, right?" Noire asked as tge arrived at the outskirts of GearSteel."You must have had a great life here. The hotels, the conventions, and, heck, even the schools here bring up the brightest of students."
"Yup! I'm usually acing my class with the highest grades. Though I've have been wavering these past few days, I'm not sure why myself. Who would have known that Zombies games would be shunned upon these days?" || (Metal Gear: Survive. Kek)
"I hate to admit it, but I've been seeing the Zombie genre fall badly these days." Noire said with discontent. "Though, zombies in general have always been more of Leanbox's trope."
"Aww, I love zombie games!" Uni pouted, folding her arms. "They're easy to hit with a sniper rifle."
"Are you saying you can't hit living players?" Noire retorted with a sly smirk.
"W-Wha...? I... I..."
"Burn..." K-Sha giggled softly.
"I-I have high scores to show you! My K/D ratio is legendary!"
"Oh, don't be so upset, Uni. I know you're a great sniper, both in-game and IRL."
"Really? You think I'm great?"
"Yep."
"Heehee, Big sis praised me...~"
Uni smiled with glee at the compliment, while K-Sha puffed and turned away. She wanted compliments too.
The streets of GearSteel were plentiful and welcoming for the massive convention being held there. Noire could not help but gasp in awe at how large it was. She oversaw its approval, but seeing it in person was an entirely different experience.
"Oh, I'm so gonna be the number one cosplayer here!" Noire giggled in excitement, her calm disposition dropping as she daydreamed about the fun they would have. "I'm gonna star in this one, then star in the next, and the next, and the next…!"
"Um, Noire. Do the people even recognise you as The CPU when you cosplay?" Uni asked suspiciously. While she knew that Noire loved her secret hobby with a passion, the ambition she showed towards it made her a tad bit weirded out.
"Eh? Oh no they don't. I enter these conventions or competitions under a stage name. I can't decide between Asami or Erin though..." Noire responded with a casual smile, making Uni raise an eyebrow.
"But... Your twintails though. Anyone can recognise you from your hairstyle. Surely they would've seen through it...?"
"Nah. All you have to do is wear a pair of glasses. Fools them everytime." Noire pulls out a pair of red simple glasses and steadily adjusts them on the bridge of her nose. "There! Nobody knows who I am anymore...~"
"Whoa! Where did Lady Noire go!?" K-Sha gasped, turning all around to locate her. "Noire? Noire...!?"
"...Wha...?" Uni could only stare blankly at the Gold Third member, while Noire broke out into a chuckle.
"Gets them every time. Come, let's prepare for the cosplay soon."
Noire waddled off to the convention site. Uni's weirded expression only increased as she saw her waving to several people joyfully. Her words were proved true when none of them seemed to recognise Noire as the CPU.
"Man, once she drops the cold exterior, Noire is really passionate about her ambitions..."
"Noire!? Noire! Come out, I beg of you!" K-Sha was busy walked in circles around Uni, searching desperately for her beloved friend. The candidate sighed and dragged K-Sha by her collar as they followed Noire.
"K-Sha, knock it off will you…"
A fanfare of joy rang through the convention. The audience applauded as the curtains sprung open to reveal the participants of the competition, various ladies wearing a variety of different costumes. Noire was amongst the participants, flourishing gracefully in her Knight costume.
The announcer began to state the rules and regulations, but Uni & K-Sha barely paid attention to it. They were too busy cheering on for their big sis to win the event.
"Do your best, big sis!"
"I believe in you, Noire!"
"You're as fabulous as ever oh my dearest Noire~!"
"Eh...!?"
The metallic tone of the third voice that cheered for her Sister caught the attention of the two. Uni & K-Sha scoffed as Anonydeath found sitting at the back rows. Steamax was there as well, nudging his comrade's arm in hope to silence him.
"Should we beat them up again, Uni?"
"It'll cause too much of a commotion. They technically aren't intruding here so let's just keep an eye on them."
"Understood!"
The audience soon quietened down as curtains soon closed before the cosplayers. The show was about to begin.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, I hope you've come here for a banquet, because you're gonna love feasting your eyes on these lovely ladies! Now, without further ado, let the show begin!"
Noire stretched her arms out in exhaustion as she exited the convention alongside Uni & K-Sha, letting out a sigh of satisfaction.
"That was fun!" Noire stated. "We should go cosplaying more sometime."
"Yeah! I have so many other costumes I wanna try on! Maybe even matching ones next time~" K-Sha giggled.
"Well, we could sign up early for the one coming up in a month. Though it'll be held at Planeptune." Uni suggested.
"Planeptune...? E-Eh, no thanks. I'd rather wait another three months for the next event here." Noire stumbled with a quivering lip. "Besides, a CPU should never slack off on her duties, unlike the one in that nation..."
"Aww, but you did so well cosplaying! You should enter more."
"K-Sha, I only got second place. It's nothing."
"Heyo there!" The group was interrupted by the announcer of the cosplay competition waltzing up to them with a jolly smile. "You're the one who won second place for the event, didn't ya?"
"Yes, thats me."
"Great! I've come to give you a reward for your spectacular performance today."
"But I've already claimed my prize... Did I miss something?""
The announcer backed a little and reached into his back pocket. His gleeful smile barely wavered despite Noire's curious glare at him.
"Forgive me if I sound rude, but you do enjoy cosplay?"
"Yeah, but..."
"Please, take this."
He took out a small letter and handed it to Lady Noire. The CPU narrowed her eyebrows at him suspiciously for a moment before they moved on to the paper.
She dropped all hostility she showed as her mouth gaped open in shock.
"Y-You can't be serious...!"
"What is it?"
Uni and K-Sha glanced over her shoulder, and an expression of disbelief overcame them. Noire's eyes began to sparkle.
"I'm going to be a voice actress!"
"W-Whaaaa...!?"
"That's right! Though you only scored second place, we've decided to give you a chance at Showbiz for your brilliant performance! The first place holder, Bluzume, I think her name was, declined for some reason."
"I accept! Sign me up immediately! Uni, pen please!"
"Whoa, Big Sis! Slow down!" Uni cautioned as she read through the letter its in entirety. "This is way too suspicious..."
The contract stated that Noire would be signed in as an actress where she would star as a voice acreess several upcoming productions. This was Noire's one way ticket to stardom joining the VO industry, her Long-time dream coming to life. While cosplaying was her hobby, the CPU always wanted to be a voice actress.
"Why would you offer her a contract to become a voice actress when you're the announcer for the cosplay convention earlier?" Uni questioned as her gaze narrowed.
"Can't a man have multiple hobbies? Hosting this cosplay this is a side job. I'm the head hunter of the VO industry!"
The man gave Noire a pen from his shirt pocket while gleefully chuckling at Uni's questions, annoying the Candidate.
"Just sign here, miss. Soon you'll be on a journey towards fame and fortune."
"Could I join too?" K-Sha asked with her hands clasped together.
"I'm afraid... You're too young to join. Though you could help out from time to ti-"
"Deal!"
"Heh, alright then. So, Lady. Please sign here."
Noire returned the paper to him with a flick of her wrist after signing her name. The announcer gasped as he checked her signature.
"L-Lady Black Heart...!?"
"Yours truly~"
"W-Well now. I-I'm honoured and lucky to have encountered you today, M'lady. Perhaps it was destiny, even! I didn't know you enjoyed cosplay!"
"Uhm, let's keep the cosplay thing a secret now, shall we?"
"Heh, as you wish." The man bowed in respect to their ruler before taking off, leaving Noire, K-Sha and Uni back alone, the latter folding her arms in a pout.
"I still can't help but think that that man was too suspicious..."
Noire pet Uni on the shoulder and gave a reassuring smile. "Relax. If anything goes wrong I'll quit immediately. Alright?"
"... Alright then..."
"Lady Noire!" K-Sha suddenly clinged onto the CPU's atm and nuzzled her face into her shoulder. "I'm so happy for you! I hope your career will take off!"
"Y-Yes, I hope so too, K-Sha. I mean what could possibly go wrong?" Noire blushed briefly from her sudden move, as she nudged K-Sha softly to get her off. "Uhm... P-Please let go me..."
"Don't jinx yourself twice Big Sis..." Uni trailed off as the three walked back to the Basilicom.
"..."
"..."
"..."
"K-Sha I said get off!"
"Heehee!"
The sun soon set upon Lastation once again, and Noire hummed a happy tune as she prepared to go to bed. The joy of having your dream come to life would make anyone excited for the future to come.
The CPU laid on her bed, covered herself with her blanket and stared at the ceiling above. Tomorrow would be the start of her career as a Voice Actress. A whirlpool of dreams swirled about in her mind, happy thoughts of her succeeding and becoming loved amongst her people. She would have people complimenting her as she strolled along the streets, having texts to meet up for a chat, and having her schedule filled with accomplishments.
Noire let out a sigh as her eyes flickered briefly before drifting to sleep. She could not wait in the slightest for what was to come.
"Heheh… Hwee…~" She giggled her mind ran off into the realm of dreams.
"Heehee… Hail…~"
"…"
"Hail… to… me…~"
END
I read reviews, and I appreciate you all for your feedback. I plan to have an Ultradimension Arc, just so you know. I have lots of plans in the future...~